Operation Together Forward

Part of the Iraq War

Date	14 June 2006 – 24 October 2006
Location	Baghdad, Iraq
Result	Insurgent victory (Coalition operations are unsuccessful in securing Baghdad)

Belligerents

United States Army

New Iraqi Army

Mujahideen Shura Council

Al-Qaeda in Iraq

al-Mahdi Army

Commanders and leaders

Gen. George Casey

Ayyub al-Masri

Muqtada al-Sadr

Strength

15,000

unknown

Casualties and losses

101 killed
1 captured (U.S.);
197 killed (Iraqi security forces)

Several hundred killed or captured

Mujahideen Shura Council

Operation Together Forward, also known as Forward Together (Arabic: عملية معاً إلى الأمام, Amaliya Ma’an ila Al-Amam), was an unsuccessful security plan in Iraq to significantly reduce the violence in Baghdad which had seen a sharp uprise since the mid-February 2006 bombing of the Askariya Mosque, a major Shiite Muslim shrine, in Samarra.

The plan was announced on 14 June 2006 by the then-recently installed Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, and intended to increase security conditions in Baghdad through instituting major new measures. Operation Together Forward was planned as an operation to be led primarily by Iraqis but with Coalition support and would put about 70,000 security forces on the streets of Baghdad.

The major provisions of the operation included a curfew from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m., increased checkpoints and patrols, and further restrictions on carrying weapons. Additionally, Iraqi and Coalition troops would raid terrorist cells and attempt to disrupt insurgent activities through active missions against suspected insurgent locations.

However, although highly touted at the time of its introduction, the plan failed to increase security in the capital as the high level of violence continued with a spate of major bombings (at least four such attacks with 40+ deaths each occurred in a one-week period) and sectarian killings throughout June and July.

On 24 July 2006, it was announced that Prime Minister Maliki was heading to Washington, D.C. for talks about the security situation with President George W. Bush. The White House also publicly admitted for the first time that the Operation had been a failure, and that a new security strategy for Baghdad would be designed.

On 1 August it was announced that the U.S. would redeploy 3,700 troops, mainly the 172nd Infantry Brigade, from Mosul to Baghdad to bolster security in the capital. On the same day, 70 Iraqis (including 20 soldiers) were killed in Baghdad violence and bombings.

In October, Gen. William Caldwell said: "Operation Together Forward has made a difference in the focus areas but has not met our overall expectations of sustaining a reduction in the levels of violence."[1]

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Wikipedia